Grandparents caring for grandchildren: What we know and what we need to know

Syidah Abdullah, Purdue University

Abstract

Although not a new phenomenon, public recognition of intergenerational caregiving has increased due to numerous social challenges facing our communities. This includes but is not limited to divorce, economic hardship, female incarceration, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS illness and death, and welfare reform requiring poor, single mothers to devote more time engaged in economic pursuits outside of the home. This paper provides a review of the grandparent caregiving literature. The focus is on the phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren. The purpose is to provide a guide for future research. This is accomplished by identifying facets of grandparent caregiving that has received research attention, identifying and gaps in the literature, and making recommendations for future directions. The caregiving grandparent population is a heterogeneous group that experience higher rates of physical and mental negative health effects and face greater economic challenges compared to their non-caregiving peers. A great deal of literature explores the health outcomes of caregiving grandparents however, considerably less is known about the health status of grandchildren living in grandparent headed households. Research endeavors designed to address the directionality of the relationship between custodial status and poor health, selection bias and endogeneity are also lacking in the extant literature.

Degree

M.P.H.

Advisors

Okoror, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Gerontology|Public health|Individual & family studies|Health education

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